New York City’s public transport will now make gender-neutral announcements
Goodbye "ladies and gentlemen," hello "passengers," "rider" and "everyone"
New York City’s public transport will now make gender-neutral announcements, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced.
The long used phrase “ladies and gentlemen” will be replaced on subways and buses with more neutral terms, such as “passengers,” “rider” and “everyone.”
"Good morning, everyone." MTA goes gender-neutral, no more "ladies and gentleman." New York City, my love. 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
— carla sosenko (@carlasosenko) November 10, 2017
The change is part of a larger move by MTA to make public transport more “empathetic and human,” such as drivers announcing timely events — including national holidays or elections — and offering information on local sights to help tourists.
MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein said: “We’re fundamentally changing the way we talk with riders to give them better and clearer information.”
WPIX New York reports that other changes will include new station signage and improved employee training to implement the service changes. MTA has said it will try to remove all gendered messages from its system as the changes roll out.
CBS New York asked passengers what they thought of the changes, but apparently received a mixed response. One passenger said, “It’s innovative, it’s great. In today’s [day] and age, you are who you are.”
Another passenger said MTA should have used their resources “for something else: Improving the tracks, improving the air,” while someone sitting nearby called it “silly” and said, “I don’t think it really offends anyone to say ‘ladies and gentlemen.'”
“If they could just get an announcement that I could hear, that would be a first step in the right direction,” another rider added.
The change was met with similar responses on Twitter. Some weren’t in favor of the change:
We have come too the point where Men are no longer Men, and Women are no longer Women.. Just a bunch of “It’s” running around.. #Wow pic.twitter.com/Hvb0702X9G
— R.A Corbin (@TheRealRVonYork) November 11, 2017
Others cracked jokes about the new announcements:
“Stand clear of the closing doors, you.”
— Nicola DeMarco (@garibalditoday) November 11, 2017
Seriously, what is the big deal? Who listens to those announcements anyways? People be like, “Attention ladies and gentlemen….” pic.twitter.com/FJ7K6ItKgx
— KLDubs (@kraystini1) November 11, 2017
“Yo, people! Get on the train!”
— Andre Andazola (@andre_andazola) November 11, 2017
Many celebrated that MTA was appealing to everyone with the changes:
Everyone should feel welcome on public transit. MTA adopting gender-neutral announcements is an overdue change + other systems should follow. https://t.co/2DdMk8e1mu
— Eve Zhurbinskiy (@ezhurb) November 13, 2017
It’s a little thing, but I’m enjoying the new gender-neutral announcements on @MTA subway: “Good morning everyone!” instead of “ladies & gentlemen.”
— Jill Jacobs (@rabbijilljacobs) November 13, 2017
you may not notice when the announcer says “ladies and gentlemen,” you may not notice the million ways society keeps the *separate and unequal* binary gender system in place, all in the name of commerce and habit.
BUT I DO NOTICE
thanks @MTA 💛https://t.co/RnrYRnYJOi— jeffrey💛marsh (@thejeffreymarsh) November 11, 2017
MTA announcements now begin “Hello Everyone,” instead of “Ladies and Gentlemen,” & I think that’s pretty great. #genderneutral https://t.co/OXnSxY9hun
— ᴋᴇᴀᴛᴏɴ ᴊᴀᴅᴡɪɴ (@KeatonJadwin) November 11, 2017
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